Maryland Nerve Damage Lawyer
Babies can suffer many injuries during labor and delivery. One injury caused by birth trauma is nerve damage. Nerve damage occurs when trauma affects the nerves that carry information from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. The most common type of nerve injury in newborns is peripheral nerve damage, which impacts the nerves in the arms and shoulders.
When a baby suffers nerve injuries, there may be costly treatment involved. This can take a heavy financial toll on you, the parent. Make sure you understand your legal rights and seek the compensation you deserve from the Maryland nerve damage lawyer at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman.
Peripheral nerve damage is often sustained during delivery. Some nerve injuries involve compression, stretching, or tearing of a nerve. In many cases, the injuries are temporary and go away within a few weeks. Unfortunately, some babies are not as lucky and are left with permanent paralysis and other forms of irreversible damage.
The earlier that nerve damage is noticed, the better the outcome. In most cases, a doctor will
notice the damage at birth. However, it could be later on when a pediatrician will notice that one of the baby’s arms or hands may not be working well.
There are both motor nerves and sensory nerves. Motor nerves regulate muscles and movement, while sensory nerves help the body recognize pain and temperature. This means that a nerve injury can cause a loss of function and feeling in the affected part of the body. This can reduce the baby’s quality of life by affecting the ability to engage in certain activities.
Types of Nerve Trauma
Nerve trauma in babies may include:
- Brachial plexus injury. The brachial plexus refers to a group of nerves around the shoulder. These nerves can be damaged when the baby’s head, neck, or shoulder are not positioned properly in the birth canal. This injury can also occur when the baby is delivered feet first in a breech position. There are several types of brachial plexus injury:
- Brachial palsy. Only the upper arm is affected.
- Klumpke paralysis. Only the hand is affected.
- Erb’s palsy. Both the upper and lower arms are affected.
- Diaphragm paralysis. The diaphragm separates the chest organs from the abdomen. Nerve damage on one side of the diaphragm can cause the baby to have difficulty breathing.
- Facial paralysis. A forceps delivery can cause nerve damage on one side of the face, which can cause an asymmetrical appearance. This is often temporary, but if the nerve is completely severed, surgery may be required.
Contact Us Today
While nerve injuries often go away on their own, some are long-lasting and even permanent.
Costly treatment may be needed.
If your baby’s nerve damage was caused by medical malpractice, consider pursuing a claim against the at-fault medical provider. Schedule a free consultation with the personal injury attorneys at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman by calling (410) 567-0800.
